The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that NASA launched Sunday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the company's 21st commercial resupply mission is expected to arrive at the International Space Station on Monday around 1:30 p.m. EST. The updated Dragon flew with over 6.4K pounds of cargo for the station aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and will demonstrate SpaceX's first autonomous docking with the ISS, NASA said Monday.
Read More »Sierra Nevada Gets DIU Contract to Design Autonomous Space Outpost
The Defense Innovation Unit has awarded Sierra Nevada Corp. a contract to create an unmanned orbital outpost prototype based on the company's space transport vehicle design. SNC said Tuesday it will repurpose the 16-foot Shooting Star hardware that was originally designed to function as a Dream Chaser spaceplane attachment under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services 2 program.
Read More »Northrop to Launch Second Resupply Mission Under NASA CRS-2 Contract
Northrop Grumman aims to launch the Cygnus spacecraft by Feb. 9 on its second mission to deliver supplies and scientific experiments to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract between the company and NASA.
Read More »Sierra Nevada Eyes Potential Dream Chaser Spacecraft Applications
Sierra Nevada Corp. is exploring potential applications that may employ the Dream Chaser spacecraft and its components, SpaceNews reported Tuesday.
Read More »Sierra Nevada Begins Production of Dream Chaser Spacecraft
Sierra Nevada Corp. is slated to begin full assembly efforts for a spacecraft that will work to support NASA's cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.
Read More »Sierra Nevada Completes Test Milestone for Dream Chaser Spacecraft
Sierra Nevada Corp. has achieved a contractual milestone with NASA for the company-built Dream Chaser spacecraft after a test vehicle completed a free-flight test in November. SNC said Friday Dream Chaser cleared Milestone 4B under the Commercial Crew Integrated Capability contract, confirming that the spacecraft is designed to perform safe runway landings from …
Read More »Sierra Nevada Completes Free Flight Test on Dream Chaser Test Spacecraft
Sierra Nevada Corp. has conducted a free flight test of a spacecraft designed to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract. The Dream Chaser test spacecraft was air-lifted by a Columbia 234-UT Chinook helicopter before the space vehicle performed a pre-planned …
Read More »NASA, Sierra Nevada Put Dream Chaser Spacecraft Through Captive Carry Test
A Sierra Nevada Corp-built spacecraft has been subjected to a captive carry test at NASA‘s Armstrong Flight Research Center under the second phase of flight tests designed to prepare the vehicle for a future orbital flight. SNC said Wednesday Dream Chaser tests are part of a Space Act Agreement the company and the …
Read More »MDA to Deliver Comms Subsystem for Sierra Nevada Cargo Delivery Spacecraft
MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates has secured a multimillion dollar contract from Sierra Nevada Corp. to deliver a communications subsystem for spacecraft SNC is developing under NASA‘s Commercial Resupply Services-2 program. MDA said Wednesday its communications subsystem will work to provide on-board communication signal processing support for the Dream Chaser spacecraft. Dream Chaser is slated …
Read More »Sierra Nevada Completes Initial Hardware Tests on Dream Chaser Test Vehicle
Sierra Nevada Corp. has completed updates and initial hardware tests on the Dream Chaser flight test vehicle as part of the company’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract with NASA. The company said Thursday it will ship the test vehicle to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center to undergo a second phase of flight tests that will involve tow-tests, pre-flight ground evaluations …
Read More »Lockheed Unveils Jupiter-Exoliner System for Low-Earth Orbit, Deep-Space Missions
Lockheed Martin is developing a new spaceflight system consisting of the Jupiter space tug and Exoliner disposable supply module that the company hopes will support future cargo missions beyond low Earth orbit, Space.com reported Thursday. Mike Wall writes that Lockheed presented a concept video of the new system to show how it could be …
Read More »NASA Starts Commercial Resupply Services Program’s 2nd Round; William Gerstenmaier Comments
NASA has released a second request for proposals through its commercial space program for more companies to launch logistical and research payloads and help send supplies to the International Space Station. The Commercial Resupply Services 2 program includes at least six flights to and from ISS for each potential contract through 2020 and an option for additional flights through …
Read More »